![]() ![]() ![]() and one day to go on to Mars," said Blackwell-Thompson. "This is the first flight of a program that is intended to last for years, to take us back to the moon. NASA wants to launch the SLS on its maiden flight, boosting an unpiloted Orion crew capsule beyond the moon and back, some time this summer, but the timeline will depend on what additional testing is required. What happens after that is not yet known. While the upper stage will not be loaded with propellants, liquid oxygen and hydrogen will flow through launch pad transfer lines and into the ICPS plumbing to make sure the system is leak free.Īfter the test is complete, engineers will spend about 10 days readying the rocket and its mobile launch platform for the 4.2-mile trip back to the Vehicle Assembly Building where the helium valve will be replaced. Thursday with cutoff targeted for 2:40 p.m. If all goes well, core stage fueling operations will begin around 7 a.m. ![]() In any case, the revised dress rehearsal countdown test began at 5:30 p.m. It's not yet known whether an additional fueling test might be required at some point before launch, but the SLS upper stage, known as the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, or ICPS, cannot be loaded with propellants unless the core stage is filled as well. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |